Droylsden F.C.-The bloods on the net!

NUNEATON BOROUGH 1 - 0 DROYLSDEN

Nationwide North, Saturday 17th March 2007

Report by Gary Owen

This second successive 1-0 away reverse sees Droylsden's lead at the top of the Nationwide North cut to just three points with nine games remaining.

Of equal concern will be the ineffectiveness of the display, particularly in the final third, where Darren Acton in the Nuneaton goal was only streched once all afternoon.

Nuneaton were not much better, but they were more organised and had two towering centre halves that dealt with almost everything the Bloods could muster as an attacking force.

Duane Darby and Tom Shaw both had efforts off target for the home side, before Droylsden suffered the first of two early injuries, as Jody Banim limped out of the action with a problematic calf.

The only goal of the game came shortly afterwards, when Neil Moore rose highest to loop a header over Paul Phillips from a Tom Curtis free kick awarded when Steve Halford was adjudged to have blocked the path of Bradley Pritchard, which was the first goal that Nuneaton had scored in over four games.

Then came the Bloods' second injury blow, as Chris Denham had to be stretchered off the field with what could be ligament damage or perhaps worse after a rather inocuous-looking foul by Curtis.

Before the break, Halford flicked-on Steve Jagileka's corner kick, Terry Fearns headed back accross the face of goal, but there was no Bloods shirt on hand to find the finishing touch.

Kevin Lynch then shot tamely at Acton after Fearns and Tandy had combined down the left flank, but the Bloods remained behind at the turn around.

Shortly after the break, Steve Daly headed Fearns' cross over the bar from a difficult angle, but Droylsden were clearly lacking in ideas with both key play-makers sidelined through injury.

Nuneaton created chances of their own, and Phillips was almost caught out at his near post from an inswinging corner, but he recovered to save well.

With 13 minutes remaining, Joe Fowler asked the first serious question of Acton, but the Nuneaton custodian turned the midfielder's shot away for a corner.

At the other end, a clever dummy by Brian Qualiey allowed Shaw in on goal, but Phillips dashed from his line to close him down and force the Boro man wide, and the chance was lost.

In the closing minutes, Jimmy Kelly saw a shot fly too high, and Fowler volleyed wide from the edge of the box when Acton really ought to have been tested.

With Workington and Harrogate both collecting maximum points on Saturday, three points at Hucknall on Tuesday are now a must for the Bloods if they are to maintain any gap at the top of the table.

This will have to be done without Denham, who's season could now be over depending upon the severity of his injury, but hopefully Banim will be fit, as his trickery and imagination was sorely missed at Manor Park.

NUNEATON: Acton, Oddy, Franklin, Curits, Moore, Cowan, Shaw, Pritchard, Darby, Qualiey, Burgess D.

SUBS: Burgess O. (not used), Murphy (for Darby, 90), Collins (not used), Williams D. (not used), Denny (not used).

DROYLSDEN: Phillips 7, Williams J. 7, Halford 6, RUFFER 7, Robinson 6, Lynch 6, Jagielka 5, Kelly 6, Fearns 5, Banim 6, Denham 7.

SUBS: Daly 5 (for Banim, 17), Tandy 7 (for Denham, 31), Warner (not used), Morris ( not used), Fowler 6 (for Jagielka, 75).

SCORER: SCARBOROUGH - Moore (26)

REFEREE: Mr. A. R. Parker (Derbyshire)

ATTENDANCE: 652